This invention relates to an image processing method, an image processing apparatus, and a print apparatus capable of performing image processing of print, etc., based on image data recorded on an image record medium such as a memory card, for example.
In recent years, direct print of printing without the intervention of a host computer (personal computer) has been realized with the widespread use of digital cameras. In the direct print, for example, a memory card recording image data photographed by a digital camera can be placed in a printer so as to read and print the image data recorded on the memory card (patent document 1).
For example, if the user operates an index print key after placing a memory card in a card slot of a printer, thumbnail image data of the images recorded on the memory card are read. A plurality of thumbnail images are printed side by side per index sheet. If the number of the images is large, a plurality of index sheets are printed out. The user can check the images recorded on the memory card by viewing the index sheet. After checking any desired image on the index sheet, the user enters the identification code identifying the desired image through an operation panel of the printer. Accordingly, only the image desired by the user can be printed out.
Patent document 1: Japanese Patent No. 3127902
In the related art described above, a memory card can also be accessed from a host such as a personal computer for performing update work of image data (image addition, overwrite, etc.,). Thus, the storage configuration of the memory card (directory structure) changes, but the printer cannot keep track of the most recent storage configuration of the memory card until the memory card is once removed and is then placed in the printer.
In recent years, a complex print apparatus provided by integrating a scanner into a printer has also been known. If image data read through the scanner can be written onto the memory card placed in the printer, the storage configuration of the memory card also changes accordingly. Thus, as image data is written onto a memory card from an external personal computer or an internal scanner, the storage configuration of the memory card changes, but the storage configuration change timing and the recognition timing of the printer do not match.
Therefore, if the user wants to print new image data added to the memory card, the user cannot select image data based on the most recent storage configuration of the memory card before the printer recognizes the most recent storage configuration; the ease of use is poor.